Daylight at Midnight
by Jennifer Ever Zero
Summary: There's a party at Willis' mountain house, and everyone is invited! Kari and Willis 'share a moment', and a waterfight could prove to be prophetic!


Daylight at Midnight

By Zero

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Author's Notes: Back by popular demand. Even though is written after "The Other End of the Line", this is -not- a series. No searching, no being lost in the story, it's all good. 

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How did I get here? Not here, to Colorado and to Willis' mountain house, I mean...here. Here being now, why? And what do I really think? The group hasn't really changed, but I have. Tai's still Tai, Yamato's still after Tai--at least that's what I think, don't put any money on it, Davis is still a jerk, everyone else...hasn't changed much. I almost wish I hadn't. But on the other hand...it is kinda cool having a friend like Willis, and I...really don't know. Hmph.

"I said, do you want another pop?", Willis sat on the edge of the hot tub, dangling his feet in. "The Sprite's all gone, Davis drank it all, but there's more of everything else..."

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks!" She flashed him her sweetest, brightest smile. "Just lost in thought."

Willis slid closer and dropped back down into the tub, between Kari and Sora. "Thought about what? You're on vacation, don't worry yourself..."

"I'm not worried," she said quietly, "Just thinking." She paused, holding up an empty can. "And...Cherry Coke, please!" She gave him another bright smile.

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Did she wink at me? Naa, I'm just imagining thngs...I'm glad I got some Cherry Coke, she's really going through it... Willis hopped out of the hot tub and walked into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he could see the picture window in the living room. He had a perfect view of the mountains, and he could see all the way to town. _Maybe we can go out tomorrow, go to town or something. Tai and all his wackos will be snowboarding, but I know Kari hates it...I kinda wanted to go, but I can't leave her alone, but we'll be all quiet and wierd because she's so shy, but we might get to know each other better, but...I dunno. _He reached in the fridge and grabbed an armload of pop, then walked back out to the hot tub.

"Drinks are served! Your waiter appreciates tips!" He swaggered out, passing the pop around to everyone.

"Here's a tip. Don't go to Texas!" Mimi grabbed her pop and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Frisky tonight, Mimi!" He slid back into the tub, across from Kari...and when he locked eyes with her, he couldn't help blushing. Sora nudged Kari and whispered something in her ear..._it *better* not be about me, oh my god..._the two girls couldn't hide a giggle.

"Willis!", Kari called.

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Eeek! "Yeah?"

"What's going on tomorrow?"

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Funny you should ask. Let's go to Vegas. "I dunno. I thought everyone was going snowboarding..."

"I...guess I'll stay in town," Kari said quietly.

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Opportunity knocks. "Hmm...you too?"

"Huh?" She smiled, and seeing T.K. and Davis climb out of the tub, moved over to his side. 

"I said...you're staying in town, too? I don't get to come here very often, and there's some stores I wanted to check out, there's also that arcade down on Main, and ice skating..." _Come on, say something...I'm running out of ideas..._ "There's a sledding hill, and I have some sleds, and there's a really good ice cream parlor, they've got coffee too, or we could go swimming at the rec center..."

"Yeah!"

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Yeah what?

"I'd like to see all of that!"

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Eeeek!

"I wanna go too!" Tai called from across the tub, getting an unanimous agreement. 

Willis' face fell to pure confusion. _ T h e r e - - i s - - n o - - g o d ! What am I gonna do *now*? They'll all still be here, dammit!_

"Ah...well...how about we meet up for dinner and do stuff then? That way you guys can still go snowboarding, I mean, you *did* buy two-day lift tickets...and the only one I'll have to worry about boring to death when I go shopping is Kari!"

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What's he trying to do?! If I didn't know better...which I probably don't...I'd say...heeheee...

"Don't worry...I love shopping!," Kari squealed.

"You forget, you're dealing with a female," Yamato deadpanned, much to the amusement of everyone in the tub.

"I dunno...I might stay home," Jyou said, "I'll sleep on it."

"C'mon maaaan! You *gotta* go! You won't regret it, I promise," Izzy called, standing and grabbing his towel.

"Well...I guess...It wasn't too bad today, but I'm just so sore! And it's almost midnight, I need some sleep." Jyou reluctantly picked up his towel and climbed out. 

Izzy crawled over to Willis and tapped him on the shoulder. "You owe me five bucks, brother," he whispered, laughing.

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He doesn't have Izzy helping him, does he? What are they talking about, I m gonna go crazy! Maybe Sora would know what to do, but then she'd think I like Willis...I don't know, maybe I do, maybe I don't. I mean, better him than, like, Tai, or Jyou...or Izzy...or Matt or T.K...aww, man, this is confusing...

"Hey Kari! Sure you don't wanna go snowboarding?" Tai gave her an inviting smile, but she firmly shook her head.

"No *way*! You know I'm scared of the ski lifts, and I'm not gonna strap a piece of wood on my feet and attempt suicide...and besides, I'd rather go shopping." _Yeah, that's it. _She could see Willis smile, and quickly turned away before she started to blush. "I hear they've got a cool hippie store up here, maybe I'll find some jewelry or something..." 

"Yeah! Hippie store! Let's save that for tomorrow night!," Sora said, climbing up to sit on the edge of the tub.

"Why Sora! I never knew you were a hippie!" Tai clasped his hands over his heart in fake astonishment.

"Oh shut up. I'm going to bed." She indignantly (and just as falsely) snatched her towel up and stomped off.

"Look at that. We're down to four..." Matt said, leaning back and getting his hair wet. He sat back up, laughing, and made his voice sound like some TV announcer for a Pay-Per-View. "Coming up next...do you have what it takes to BEAT THE HEAT?! Four brave souls try to outlast each other in the hot tub of filthy burning DOOOOOM!" Tai laughed and punched Matt's arm, which got Matt giggling too...Willis gave Kari a questioning shrug, which was met with a giggle from Kari.

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I'm staying. Forget them, I've still got some cold to burn off. Kari wiped the tiny beads of sweat off her face and leaned back, letting the jets massage her back.

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Oh my god...I shouldn't be thinking like this about a friend...probably just the full moon. She'll be regular old Hikari tomorrow. ...right?

"Get a room, you two!," Willis snapped at Matt and Tai, who were wrestling and giving each other noogies. Still, Willis couldn't hold back a laugh. _What the hell is with those two?_

Kari tapped Willis' shoulder to get his attention, then splashed Tai in the face! Tai was all over her, trying to give her the dunk of death, but Willis got Tai in a headlock. Not to be outdone, Matt reached down and tickled Tai's feet! Kari unleashed a tsunami (courtesy of her forearm) onto Willis, and was pounced. She pulled him under the water with him, and they had a girly little slap-fight until they both had to come up to breathe--and laugh. Tai was on Matt's back, but Matt dumped him off when he saw Kari and Willis pop back up.

Those almost mature, semi-civilized young adults had reduced themselves to a laughing pile of kids. Tai and Willis got in a few leftover splashes, but they were pretty much done for the night. Kari quirked a brow, seeing Matt's arm stretched across the edge of the tub, right behind Tai...and quirked her other brow when she saw Tai lean back into his arm.

"Hey!!" Realizing what he had done, Tai hopped out of the water and grabbed his towel. "Haaaiiii-YAH!" He snapped his towel at Matt, who jumped out, picked up his towel, and assumed the Mantis stance. 

"Waaaooooohhh!" Matt snapped Tai's hand, making him lose his grip. Tai picked up the towel and ran like all hell, with Matt on his heels, screaming and laughing and snapping towels all the way into the house and upstairs.

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Those two are hell on wheels...It poops me out just to watch them! I wonder if...naaah, they don't seem like it, usually...

Kari leaned back again, running her fingers through her hair and closing her eyes. "Stupid Tai, pulling my hair and everything..." she mumbled, "I hope Matt shows him who's boss." She sat up, across from Willis again, and turned to the window.

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Full moon. Gotta be it. But still, she looks like...well, she's not the girl next door anymore! He silently slid to her side, wondering when she'd notice.

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I wonder what time it is...I wonder why Willis is being so strange today...And Tai and Matt are just insane, like always...hey, at least they're having fun. I wonder what we're really gonna do tomorrow. And...huh?

She quickly turned to face Willis, laughing and trying to hide the red on her cheeks. "You snuck up on me!"

He just smiled and nodded, and looked to the window, up at the moon.

"Full moon tonight." He leaned in close, almost right in her ear.

"Yeah, and it's bright! I wish I got to come up here more often...this is such a cool little town."

"I wish you could come here more, too. It sucks not having you around all the time."

"Yeah, for both of us." _He's trying something, I think...I hope...or maybe I hope not...gaaah!_ She turned to him again, and saw a restless, confused look on his face.

"Kari?" He leaned back, then forward to her.

"Hmm?"

Before she could speak again, he moved in and wrapped his arm around her. For a split second, their eyes met; then he tilted his head and slipped closer for a soft, sweet kiss on the lips.

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o.o *blink!* She shoots she SCORES! Goal by Yagami! ^_^

"Willis?!" She pulled away with a shy laugh. "Why did you just do that?"

"I ... don't know." Like a man possessed, his arms fell and his face showed a frown, expecting the worst.

"Well..." she said, blushing madly, "I'm glad you did...you meant it...?"

"As much as a kiss can mean, kid." He sat up on the edge of the tub and toweled off his hair. 

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Come on, please say I didn't screw up, pretty-pretty-pretty pleeeaase! He looked down on her, smiling warmly. "May I...walk you to your room?" He held out a hand.

"Sure, as long as you don't wake Sora!" She took his hand, her eyes and her smile widening as she touched him. He grabbed her towel, rubbing her shoulders down and tousling her hair. Side-by-side, the walked up the stairs...

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..._and we're both still confused as hell. Such is life! _After hours of trying, Kari finally contained her giddy excitement and drifted off to sleep.

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